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Guillaume Bijl’s iconic 1984 ‘Casino’ restaged at Art Basel Miami Beach
A fictional installation invites players to become performers
Belgian artist Guillaume Bijl has restaged Casino, one of his early ‘transformation installations’, at Meredith Rosen Gallery. With the concept of transformation installations, the spaces Bijl creates become businesses open to the public. At Art Basel, a fully functioning casino complete with croupiers awaits behind red velvet curtains. First staged in 1984, the artist insightfully and humorously connects the drive of gambling with the zeal of contemporary collecting. During the original installation at Friends Society of S.M.A.K. in Ghent, undercover police intervened, thinking the museum was running an illegal gambling operation. Previous transformation installations by Bijl include a car dealership, supermarket, shooting range, futon store, gold-buying stand, and, at Art Basel in 1984, a lamp stand.
Guillaume Bijl, Casino, 1984, is presented by Meredith Rosen Gallery (New York) in the Survey sector at Art Basel Miami Beach.
Produced by Drone Genius
Edited by Jorge Torres
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